Parental awareness , anaemia and a mother ’ s mental health are also essential factors in a child ’ s growth
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THE HEALTH | AUGUST , 2023
| Hot Topic |
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
NUTRITION PLAYS a crucial factor in a child ’ s growth and development . Hence , inadequate nutrition , including obesity , results in sub-optimum growth and development .
“ Poor parental mental health , particularly for mothers , is also another important risk factor . A mother ’ s mental health is an important determinant of child health , well-being and behaviour ,” said Consultant Developmental and General Paediatrician Dr Raja Juanita Raja Lope .
“ Currently , 56 per cent of Malaysian mothers work full-time and are mainly responsible for the family ’ s day-to-day needs . Managing both jobs is stressful and impacts maternal mental health . Governments , families and partners must support mothers regarding high-quality childcare , emotional and psychosocial needs ,” she observed .
The National Health and Morbidity Survey ( NHMS ) 2022 : Maternal and Child Health ( MCH ) findings revealed worrying trends for maternal and children health .
Dr Raja Juanita shared : “ Diabetes during pregnancy ( GDM ) doubled from 2016 to 2022 . GDM has implications for a child ( offspring )’ s obesity , development , and mental health , and there is some evidence of increased risk of autism spectrum disorder .
“ The 33 per cent of unplanned pregnancy is of marked concern . Obesity , anaemia , insufficient folic acid and vitamin D during pregnancy are essential for mother and child ( offspring ) health . If a pregnancy is unplanned , optimum weight and consumption of prenatal vitamins one month before becoming pregnant cannot be achieved .
“ Growth and nutritional status ( with high levels of anaemia ) and lack of parental awareness were worrying . Poor growth and anaemia impact developmental skills .”
She noted that the developmental delays of 7.9 per cent in children under five are similar to other countries pre-Covid-19 . Many countries are reporting higher levels of developmental delays post-Covid-19 .
CHILD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Dr Raja Juanita said the most common preventable reasons for death in children under five were pneumonia , followed by traffic accidents and drowning .
“ Pneumococcus is one of the causes of severe pneumonia . Malaysia is rolling out the pneumococcal childhood vaccination . Parents should ensure their child gets this vaccine . All vaccines should be completed in a timely manner .”
She also emphasised education and governmental legislation regarding safety ( e . g . car seats and seatbelts ) and supervision around water .
Meanwhile , physical punishment has been shown to affect stress and child
Nutrition plays a key role
Parental awareness , anaemia and a mother ’ s mental health are also essential factors in a child ’ s growth
Datuk Dr Balwant Singh Gendeh
Dr Raja Juanita Raja Lope
well-being . Children who are physically punished are more aggressive .
Another concern is excessive screen time and lack of parental involvement in a stimulating home environment to ensure a child ’ s development . Usually , parents work and do not have time to read and play with their children , which are important learning methods for children under five .
ADDRESSING THE KEY ISSUES
Parents play an important role in child development and are responsible for their children ’ s health . Therefore , they must actively engage with their children ’ s needs and well-being .
“ Parents must attend scheduled vaccination and health reviews , where the child will be screened for developmental delays at maternal and child health clinics .”
Regarding vaccine hesitancy , she commented : “ Vaccine hesitancy of five per cent among Malaysian parents is low . UNICEF has just surveyed many countries – and overall , over 80 per cent of parents felt vaccines are important for child health .
“ For those parents who are still vaccinehesitant , they often perceive the risk of the vaccine itself and mistrust healthcare providers . This is a difficult area to address as there will always be a small number of parents who will not be convinced about the benefits and safety of vaccination despite the evidence .”
Strict government legislation , such as child tax allowance , should only be given if completed vaccination is proven , she said , may help .
Besides routine vaccination and health reviews , parental education and health literacy consistently influence child health and well-being . “ Understanding and making the correct choices to influence parental health and parenting methods can significantly impact their child ’ s outcomes .”
She shared that the Positive Parenting 360 ° Growth and Development Toolkit , by the Positive Parenting advocacy unit under the Malaysian Paediatric Association ( MPA ), is a resource with healthcare information and practical tools to monitor and support
An enhanced baby book for parents
THE POSITIVE Parenting 360 ° Growth and Development Toolkit , created by Positive Parenting under the Malaysian Paediatric Association ( MPA ), is a comprehensive resource that equips parents with crucial medical knowledge and valuable tools to track , monitor and support their child ’ s growth and development .
To foster a solid foundation for their child ’ s general wellbeing , the toolkit encourages parents to actively participate in their child ’ s health and development journey by keeping track of milestones , tracking